2014 Sees Lucrative Political Donations from Cannabis Businesses

As another step towards legitimatizing the booming cannabis industry, key players in cannabis-related businesses are now starting to make political donations in an effort to back the candidates they know will continue to show them support. 

This is actually a practice that has been going on since the 1990s, when the first traces of legalization were in the air. As a result, the cannabis industry has become a respectable source of donations for many liberal candidates over the last few years. “I’m telling you, I can get 100 people in the room who would be happy to max out, or give the state’s maximum legal donation of $1,100,” said Tripp Keber of Denver’s Dixie Elixers & Edibles about the turnout at a recent fundraising event. “The word is out that the marijuana industry has money to give.”

The backers are everyone from owners of dispensaries and edibles shops to those who sell cannabis insurance for growers or are backing new grow equipment. Rather than the small rally-like organizations, cannabis political activists are not regularly throwing dinners at the Four Seasons and art auctions to raise their funds. These events have the same air of dignity and class that any ballot fundraiser would, and bring out more and more contributors every time. 

Since cannabis is now either recreational or medical in 23 states, backers in the states where cannabis is already legal, as well as states where measures are going on the ballot for 2014, have been able to raise millions for the candidates they support. Colorado candidates alone have been provided $20,000 this year from cannabis advocacy groups, and Oregon has been able to raise over 2.3 million for the cannabis initiatives on their ballot. As the industry grows in size and legitimacy every year, we predict many more lucrative cannabis backings in the future.